US482512A

US482512A - Stringing pianos

Info

Publication number: US482512A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1892-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1909-09-13

Description

C. S. WEBER.

- STRINGING PIANOS. NO. 482,512. Patented Sept. 13, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. WEBER, OF SAN J OS, OALIFORNIA.

STRINGING PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,512, dated September 13, 1892.

Application filed February 2, 1892. Serial NO. 420,113. (NO model.)

.T0 all whomz it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHARLES S. WEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jos, county of Santa Clara, State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stringing Pianos; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description thereof, which will enable those skillcd in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Figure l is a detail view showing the application of the invention, the pin being defiected by means of a binding-screw. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a modification, showing a Straight pin deflected by means of a curved hole i11 the plate. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a further modification, showing a curved pin deflected by means of a Straight hole in the plate.

The Object of my invention is to increase the tone-keeping quality in pianos by substitutingiron or other suitable metal for the wood used in keeping the tuning-pins in position.

In this improved construction the pin-holes in the proper metal plate are drilled to a diameter fully as large as that of the pin. To steady this latter, I have recourse to the elastic force with which the pin tends to resulne its original form when bent Within the limits of its elasticity. The bend in the pin is produced either by means of the friction-regu- ]ator or by means of a curved pin-hole.

The first device consists merely of a screw so placed as to press against the round end of the pin, which for this purpose is left to project from the plate containing the pillholes. By augmenting the pressure of the screw the pin is bent and asection of :it forced to act as a spring, which-presses constantly against the inner surface of the pin -hole. This pressure causes in the pin a certain degree of resistance against being turned around. The proper degree can be easily obtained by means of a few turns of the screw. This latter moves in a threaded hole drilled in a projecting piece of lnetal well secured to the plate above mentioned. To prevent the pin slipping over the end of the screw, an intermediary piece is placed between the two, grooved to fit to the pin on one side and on the other to receive the point of the screw.

The second device produces the same result Vin a far sinlpler way and adlnits a considerable reduction in the cost of a piano, as by simply thickening that part of the plate which in the modern construction usually shields the wrest-plank and by boring the pin-holes with the proper curve in that reinforced plate the entire cost of the Wrest-plank is saved. A greater advantage than that in cost results from the circumstance that pins thus secured will not be loosened, even if subjected to the driest air-currents. They will also resist a far longer wear and more careless handling than those secured in Wood. Another version of this second device is to force bent pins into a Straight pin-hole. IVhile it is possible to use this method successfully, the former is preferable.

In conclusion it may be stated that in highpriced instruments, where the additional cost of the friction-screw would not be a consideration, this device might be colnbined with the second and used for taking up the Wear which in time might result from often-repeated tuning, especially at the end points (openings) of the curved hole on the conveX side of the pin.

Having thus described my invention, what I clailn as new, and desil'e to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a stringed musical instrument., the combination, witll a metal plate having a pilihole, of a tuning-pin inserted in the said pinhole and bent from a normal position to create a frictional binding of the said pin in the pin-hole, substantially as set forth.

2. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination, with a metal plate having a pinopening and a tuning-pin inserted in the said opening, of a set-screw constructed to bear laterally on the said tuning-pin to bend the same from a norlnal position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In a stringed musical instrument, the combination, with a metal plate having a pinopening and a tuning-pin inserted in the said opening, of a set-screw constructed to bear laterally on the said tuning-pin and a shoe interposed between the said set-screw and the tuning-pin, substantially as specified.

CHARLES S. VEBER.

Attest:

V. B. IIILLYARD, L. M. HILLYARD.

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